What Areas Does Vaser Liposelection Work Best On?

Doctor Answers (9)

Vaser works best for these three areas:

August 20th, 2010

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Vaser can be used all over the body but I have found it works best for three areas. All of these areas share the characteristic of having dense, tough, fibrous fatty tissue that is hard for other types of liposuction to treat. The #1 area that I like to use the Vaser is to treat male breasts with Gynecomatia. #2 is flanks or love handles, especially in thinner patients, men, and Asian women who tend to have more fibrous fat that is difficult to suction with other methods. Finally, #3 is any area that has previously been treated with any kind of liposuction is best treated the second time with Vaser. It is very good at dislodging fat from the scar of the initial procedure.

VASER is effective just about anywhere that standard...

VASER is effective just about anywhere that standard liposuction is effective.

But there are certain theoretical advantages that VASER has over standard liposuction, and so it may have a relative advantage to standard liposuction in some areas more than others.

Because VASER "melts" fat, it is effective in fibrous areas of fat. This is common in the back, in the male chest, and in revisions. Since VASER is less likely to damage blood vessels than standard liposuction, it may help in areas that need a large volume removed while minimizing blood loss. VASER may also leave fibrous tissues entact and may even help shrink collagen, so it may be of greater value when the skin is loose.

The best advice you can be given is to not be so specific about wanting to have VASER. I'll tell you the same thing I tell people who ask about any specific laser or particular technology: find the best surgeon! The better doctor will always get the better result! One doctor may get it with VASER, and another may get it with power assisted liposuction.

What does this all mean? If I don't get Smart lipo does that mean I'm dumb? If my surgeon recommends Slim lipo does that mean he/she isn't a "Pro"? It truly is a ridiculous situation we have come to with regard to liposuction and the number of people trying to cash in on America's desire to be rid of its collective fat.

In well motivated patients, body contour improvement can be a very healthy endeavor, but how is an otherwise intelligent and well-adjusted person to know the difference between a responsible provider of aesthetic services offering them safe options for help with their body contour and a poorly trained and inexperienced provider more interested in their wallet than in their outcome and safety?

It is first important to realize that all of these devices will require you to undergo a liposuction procedure. The only difference is the approach to the treatment of the fat prior to its removal.

Because they all involve liposuction, and this is in fact a surgical procedure, it is very important that you "do your homework" and find a surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery who has the years of training in liposuction necessary to give you the safe experience and superior outcome you deserve and desire.

Behind the amazing number of machines now available to remove your fat, there has followed an army of their sales representatives and an equally impressive number of providers marketing themselves as "liposuction experts".

What has made them "liposuction experts"? In almost all cases, a few days or weekends training with the salesman for the device or with someone more experienced in the procedure. It is their promise that if you have the device in their possession brought to bear on your behalf, your fat will be gone, your skin will miraculously shrink away, you won't need any anesthesia because the device allows painless removal of the fat, and it can be done on your lunch hour. The only thing I am surprised by at this point is that they don't promise you'll get rich and be more sexually alluring after the procedure too.

Selling the particular device to patients is not unlike someone saying to you that because they will give you access to Tony Stewart's racing car that you will be able to win this weekend's race and make a million dollars. Tony Stewart wins races because he is a great racing car driver AND he has a great car....This is no different...

Getting the best outcome from a body contouring procedure depends most on finding a well-qualified and experienced surgeon, and much less on the device used.

Most of these people are so aggressive in their marketing of these questionable devices because they are, in fact, not trained plastic surgeons but rather are either not physicians at all, or they are doctors with core training which would not have prepared them to do liposuction. Many have read recently about a death in my home state of Florida after a healthy 40ish year old mother had liposuction performed be a rehabilitation medicine doctor. Amazingly, I know of eye doctors (!!) doing liposuction as well- and yes, they market themselves as "liposuction experts".

The particular device used can affect the overall experience, however.

Despite the claims of the manufacturer and the practitioners who plunked down the large sum the device costs, Smartlipo has never been proven to shrink skin better than tumescent liposuction. SmartLipo, SlimLipo, Prolipo, and Coolipo all use a laser to destroy the fat cells, allowing them to be removed by liposuction. My problem with these is that, first of all, as a scientist and doctor I am offended when false claims of benefit are made, and that because the lasers will burn whatever you point them at, I worry that your nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and skin may be injured by the laser. In fact, I see at least one patient every month with severe contour deformities and injuries after being treated with one of these devices by a local "liposuction expert".

Bottom line (and in my opinion)- there is no benefit to these devices, they are expensive (meaning that the cost to you, the patient, will be higher as well), and the risks are higher.

Tumescent liposuction is the gold standard to which all other techniques must be compared. It has been proven to be safe and effective over many years (provided that it is performed by a well-trained surgeon). It involves the injection of a fluid into the fatty tissue layer that causes blood vessels to shrink and the fat to expand, making it easier to remove and lowering the risk of a complication.

VASER lipo involves an additional step, in which the fat (after injection of fluid but before suction is applied) is treated with ultrasound energy. Unlike the laser filaments used in SmartLipo and the other devices mentioned above, the VASER probe is blunt and the ultrasound energy it uses is much more specific for fat, so that the risk of injury to the blood vessels and nerves, as well as the muscles and skin are much lower. This is seen in the patient experience of reduced swelling and bruising.

Each time a new (revolutionary!) liposuction machine comes out, I think the most important questions to ask are not "Does it work?", but rather, "Does it work better than what is already available, is it less expensive (not more), and is it safer than what is already available?"

The VASER (in my opinion) passes this test, while the laser based devices do not.

Having said all of that, I would emphasize that it is the education, training, experience, and skill of the surgeon at the end of the liposuction device that will make the greatest difference in your outcome and safety. There is not substitute for the years of training Board Certified Plastic Surgeons receive in liposuction, directly supervised by other Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. A well trained and Board Certified Plastic Surgeon would be more than capable of achieving a better outcome through tumescent liposuction than any eye doctor with a Water Jet. As in the analogy of Tony Stewart above- a great professional with a great tool (like the VASER) would only make those results and their safety even greater.

Please know that I have no financial relationship with any of these companies and have personally tried each of the discussed technologies myself on patients.

Vaser Liposuction Pictures

Areas where Vaser Liposuction works best

November 19th, 2009

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I use VASER Liposuction routinely for my patients. I use it all over the body and neck. The areas I have found it most useful are the lower back due to its more fibrous nature, men's chest when doing gynecomastia excision and sculpting (or etching) the abdominal wall for definition (Hi Def).

The reason it works well in these areas is that the ultrasonic waves break up the fat and make it easier to remove. I feel I am able to remove more fat easier and with less trauma. This allows for less bruising, swelling and pain with quicker recovery for the patient.

Always select your surgeon wisely. Make sure he is Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery. It is not the machine that will ultimately decide your results but the surgeon and his expertise.

VASER LIPOSUCTION BEST METHOD FOR LIPOSUCTION

September 20th, 2009

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I perform Vaser Liposelection every week in my plastic surgery practice of over 22 years. I use the Vaser liposuction machine first to break up the fatty fiberous tissue in the hip, back ,abdomen and thigh area. Then I normally follow with the traditional tumescent method to remove the fat. This is a very effective and successful method for females and it is especially good for males who have more dense fatty tissue in these areas. The other advantages of Vaser quicker recovery time and not as much discomfort and pain with this type of approach. Vaser Liposelection has greatly added a better result for contouring in the hips, abdomen and back area.

VASER Liposelection

August 4th, 2013

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VASER is effective in treating most of the areas all over the body. It does offer some advantages over the conventional liposuction while doing large volume lipo (as the blood loss is lesser), fibrous areas (especially the back, scapular region & the male chest for gynaecomastia) & in cases of redo lipo (to tackle the fibrosis which has resulted from the previous surgery.

Vaser ultrasound can be used on any area for liposuction

October 27th, 2011

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Vaser, or ultrasound assisted, liposuction can be performed in any area that is regularly treated with standardliposuction. Vaser works especially well in areas where there is dense connective tissue such as a man's chest(gynecomastia), the flanks and the back. It can also be used to improve skin tone and can be used to improve lax skin in the neck, abdomen, and arms.

VASER lipo works on any area

June 26th, 2010

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VASER liposuction works well on about any area of concern where there are unwanted fatty deposits. The nice thing about this system is that it comes with small, medium and larger probes. The smallest probes are good for the neck and calf/ankles. The medium problems are good for most other areas. VASER melts fat using gentle ultrasonic energy allowing the fat to be removed with less trauma and swelling.

VASER Liposuction is Effective in All Areas of the Body

December 12th, 2009

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VASER Liposuction / Liposelection works extremely well in ALL areas of the body.

After putting TUMESCENT SOLUTION (local anesthetic with adrenaline to reduce pain and bleeding0 the VASER tube is passed through the fat and using sound waves SELECTIVELY blows up fat cells. Regular liposuction or power assisted liposuction (PAL) are then used to remove the fatty fluid with much less effort, bleeding or swelling.

Although the VASER works well in ALL areas of the body it works extremely well and much better than other modalities for back liposuction, man breast (gynecomastia) liposuction, abdominal Hi-def / etching liposuction and revision liposuction.

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as
a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you
have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute
or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.